Imola Commemorates 30 Years Since the Tragic Loss of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger

The Municipality of Imola, in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ayrton Senna Institute, have organized a schedule of exhibitions, sporting events, and shows to remember thirty years since the death of the Brazilian champion and the Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger. It was two track incidents in Imola, during the San Marino GP of 1994, that took away first Ratzenberger during the qualifying on April 30, and then Senna on May 1. Since then, much has changed on the circuits, in terms of safety. "The life of Ayrton and the life of Roland Ratzenberger did not fall into the void, Formula 1 reacted. We must remember Ayrton for what he left behind. He has been an important point of reference and still is after 30 years," emphasizes Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, speaking remotely at the presentation of the 'Senna 30 years' event program. The initiatives will start on March 21, Senna's birthday, with the opening of a photographic exhibition consisting of 94 unseen shots of Senna by Angelo Orsi and Mirco Lazzari. The celebrations will peak on May 1, the anniversary of Senna's death, with several moments of remembrance at the Imola racetrack. At 14:17 (the time of the incident) there will be a commemoration ceremony at the Tamburello corner. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira, who sent two messages read during the presentation, are also expected to attend. Ayrton's niece, Bianca Senna, president of the institute bearing his name, also connected remotely. In addition to the Mayor of Imola Marco Panieri and the Governor of Emilia-Romagna Stefano Bonaccini, the Secretary of State for Sport of San Marino Teodoro Lonfernini and Gian Carlo Minardi, president of Formula Imola and a close friend of the Brazilian champion, participated in the region: "Thirty years ago I was on the pit wall. I had my two drivers on the track and the messages that were coming were sad for a friend. I want to remember the friend, the man Ayrton," he said.